Diffraction optical element and production method thereof

ABSTRACT

The present invention provides a diffraction optical element comprising a first optical member having a first diffraction grating, a second optical member having a second diffraction grating, wherein the first and second optical members are stacked so that the first and second diffraction gratings faces to each other inside the stacked members and so that a space is formed between the diffraction gratings, and a sealing member for hermetically sealing the space between the diffraction gratings.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to a diffraction optical element, and in particular, to a diffraction optical element with stacked structure having a grading structure, where luminous flux in an operating wavelength range is concentrated in a specific degree, and its production method.

[0003] 2. Related Background Art

[0004] Conventionally, a chromatic aberration of an optical system is corrected by combining optical elements consisting of transparent materials whose dispersions are different from each other. Moreover, how to correct the chromatic aberration by using a diffraction optical system is disclosed in SPIE Vol. 1354, 24-37.

[0005] By the way, at the time of adding a diffraction surface that has diffraction efficiency to the optical system that has a spectral characteristic, it is important to keep the diffraction efficiency high in an operating wavelength range. However, in a diffracted type optical system, light with a degree other than a design degree has a larger angle of diffraction as the degree is apart from the design degree, and the difference of focal distances becomes larger. Hence, this appears as defocus, and when light source with particularly high brightness exists, a side lobe may arise.

[0006] On the other hand, by constituting a diffraction optical element with stacked structure that has multiple layers composed of two or more layers, remarkable enhancement is expectable in quality of image and information, and it becomes possible to enhance optical performance. Such a diffraction optical element with stacked structure that has two or more of layers is formed by staking and bonding a plurality of optical members that have each diffraction grating. Moreover, a method of producing such an optical member is to separate a compound from a molding die after dropping a compound on a molding die where a pattern corresponding to a diffraction grating is formed and transcripting the pattern to the compound.

[0007] A well-known method of forming a pattern on the surface of a molding die is a method using typical ultra-fine processing technology such as precision machining technology by photolithography, which is a semiconductor production process, or a diamond tool. It becomes possible to manufacture the above-described optical members by molding plastics or glass with using the molding die in which those processing technologies form the pattern.

[0008] However, in order to achieve the performance which the above-described optical element is required to have, very high precision is required in the size of a diffraction grating and a refraction-index value in a whole visible range of the material which constitutes the diffraction grating. On the other hand, when diffusion into general consumption products that are comparatively cheap is preferred, it is desired that molding with using plastics material produces optical elements. However, when the plastic material is used, molding transcription and optical stability of the material itself become large subjects. In particular, severe durability is required at the time of using them as lenses for cameras or the like, and hence it becomes indispensable to guarantee the optical property of material. However, as compared with glass, it is known in regard to plastic material that a refraction index largely changes with a temperature change, a moisture content, etc. In particular, when diffraction optical elements are produced by plastic material, the plastic largely affect their diffraction characteristics, and hence there is a possibility of degrading the image quality as an optical instrument. As a proposal of a diffraction optical element using plastic material, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-127322 has been already disclosed, but measures against the environment resistance such as the above-described temperature change, moisture content, etc., are never taken into consideration there.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0009] An object of the present invention is to provide a diffraction optical element that can solve the above-described problems of the conventional technology, can respond to changes of a surrounding environment, and is little degraded in its performance even if used for a long time; and a production method thereof.

[0010] Another object of the present invention is to provide a diffraction optical element comprising: a first optical member having a first diffraction grating; a second optical member having a second diffraction grating, wherein the first and second optical members are stacked so that the first and second diffraction gratings faces to each other inside the stacked members and so that a space is formed between the diffraction gratings; and a sealing member for hermetically sealing the space between the diffraction gratings.

[0011] Still another object of the present invention is to provide a method of producing a diffraction optical element, comprising the steps of: staking a first optical member having a first diffraction grating and a second optical member having a second diffraction grating so that the first and second diffraction gratings faces to each other inside the stacked members and so that a gap is formed between the diffraction gratings; and hermetically sealing a space between the diffraction gratings with a sealing member.

[0012] A further object of the present invention is to provide an optical system comprising a plurality of optical elements including the diffraction optical element as described above.

[0013] A still further object of the present invention is to provide an optical apparatus forming an image by using the optical system as described above.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014]FIGS. 1A and 1B are schematic sectional views showing a diffraction optical element, which is composed of a first optical member and a second optical member, of Embodiment 1 according to the present invention;

[0015]FIGS. 2A and 2B are schematic views showing a molding die for producing the second optical member shown in FIG. 1B;

[0016]FIGS. 3A and 3B are schematic views showing a molding die for producing the first optical member shown in FIG. 1B;

[0017]FIG. 4 is a schematic sectional view showing a bonding apparatus used for the junction of the optical members in Embodiment 1;

[0018]FIG. 5 is a schematic sectional view showing a diffraction optical element of Embodiment 2 according to the present invention;

[0019]FIG. 6 is a schematic sectional view showing an example of an optical system using a diffraction optical element according to the present invention;

[0020]FIG. 7 is a schematic sectional view showing a single-lens reflex camera which is an example of an optical apparatus using an optical system like the optical system shown in FIG. 6; and

[0021]FIG. 8 is a schematic sectional view showing a binocular that is another example of the optical apparatus using an optical system like the optical system shown in FIG. 6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0022] Hereafter, the present invention will be described in detail with referring to the drawings.

[0023] A diffraction optical element of the present invention is made by bonding two optical members, each of which is equipped with a diffraction grating, so that the diffraction gratings face to each other inside the bonded members and so that a space is formed between these diffraction gratings. Then, the space between diffraction gratings is hermetically sealed with a sealing member.

[0024] Generally, a diffraction grating with stacked structure has the structure of stacking diffraction optical elements by making a minute gap therebetween. Hence, the occurrence of constant moisture exchange between a diffraction grating section and a space section, which is caused by changes in the environment surrounding the element, particularly by changes of temperature, becomes a large factor to cause changes of a refraction-index of the grid section. For this reason, it is necessary to reduce the moisture of an entire grid section and molding section, and the space section in the first stage as much as possible. Moreover, in order to maintain the state, it is important how the above-described space section can sever the moisture from the external by sealing or the like. In general, when a sealing member has thickness in the direction of moisture permeation, it is possible to considerably suppress moisture permeability per fixed time. Hence, it is desirable to seal the edges of the element with a sealing member keeping sufficient width. Furthermore, it becomes possible to more hermetically seal the element by sealing the element with a sealing member combined with an element holder, etc. in one piece.

[0025] [Embodiment 1]

[0026]FIGS. 1A and 1B are schematic sectional views showing a diffraction optical element of Embodiment 1 according to the present invention. Here, FIG. 1A is a whole drawing of the diffraction optical element, and FIG. 1B is a partially enlarged view of the vicinity of an outer peripheral portion of the element shown in FIG. 1A.

[0027] In FIGS. 1A and 1B, a diffraction optical element 20 is formed by bonding a first optical member 1 and a second optical member 2 by stacking them. The optical member 1, as shown in FIG. 1B, is made by stacking a resin layer 4 consisting of a photo-curing resin on a glass substrate 3. On a surface of the resin layer 4, a first diffraction grating 5 with the blazed geometry that has a lens effect is formed. Moreover, in the resin layer 4 near the outer peripheral portion of the optical member 1, a concave part 6 for the alignment is provided. This concave part 6 consists of a groove whose cross-sectional geometry is V-shaped.

[0028] On the other hand, the optical member 2 is made by stacking a resin layer 8 consisting of a photo-curing resin on a glass substrate 7. On a surface of the resin layer 8, a second diffraction grating 9 with the blazed geometry that has a lens effect is formed. Moreover, in the resin layer 8 near the outer peripheral portion of the optical member 2, a convex part 10 for alignment is provided. This convex part 10 has the cross-sectional geometry that is triangular.

[0029] The above-described two optical members 1 and 2 are bonded so that the surfaces of the formed diffraction gratings are made inside the bonded members and so that the concave part 6 and the convex part 10 fit with each other. At this time, the diffraction optical element 20 is formed so that an air gap of 1.5 μm exists between the diffraction gratings 5 and 9. This air gap is hermetically sealed by a sealing member 11 that is poured in a gap between the optical members outside the convex part 10 and the concave part 6.

[0030] The resin layer 4 in which the first diffraction grating 5 is formed is composed of a photo-curing resin having a low refraction index and a small dispersion. Moreover, the resin layer 8 in which the second diffraction grating 9 is formed is composed of a photo-curing resin having a high refraction index and a large dispersion. The materials of these resin layers is arbitrarily selected on the basis of an optical design among the combinations of two or more kinds of resin material. Moreover, grid geometry such as grid height and a grid pitch, is determined with depending on the application of the diffraction optical element and the above-described resin material.

[0031] The above-described optical members 1 and 2 are formed by a molding method using a molding die. FIGS. 2A and 2B show a molding die 12 for producing the second optical member 2. Here, FIG. 2A is a schematic whole view of the molding die, and FIG. 2B shows a partially enlarged sectional view of an area near the outer peripheral portion which is enclosed with a circle in FIG. 2A, respectively. A grid pattern with the geometry corresponding to the second diffraction grating 9 was engraved on a surface of the molding die 12. Moreover, a V-shaped groove corresponding to the convex part 10 formed in the second optical member 2 was formed near the outer peripheral portion of the molding die 12.

[0032]FIGS. 3A and 3B show a molding die 13 for producing the first optical member 1. Here, FIG. 3A is a schematic whole view of the molding die, and FIG. 3B shows a partially enlarged sectional view of an area near the outer peripheral portion which is surrounded with a circle in FIG. 3A, respectively. A grid pattern with the geometry corresponding to the first diffraction grating 5 was engraved on a surface of the molding die 13. Moreover, near the outer peripheral portion of the molding die 13, a triangular convex part corresponding to the concave part 6 formed in the first optical member 1 was formed.

[0033] The above-described molding dies 12 and 13 were produced by performing KN plating on cemented carbide to form a plated layer with a thickness of several 10 μm thick and by machining the plated layer with a diamond tool. In each molding die, concave or convex geometry was formed on a circle that has the same center as that of a diffraction grating in an area than an optical effective area by machining. It is necessary that the geometry position of one among the two optical members from the center of the diffraction grating is equal to the other among the two optical members. Positional errors of these concave and convex geometries to be required were nearly 1 μm, and hence it was able to form the geometries by usual machining. In addition, in many cases, the concave and convex geometries are formed by combining geometries whose cross sections are V-shaped and semicircular respectively. However, in positioning at a contact of a surface and a circle, it is actually difficult to machine them and to set up a gap between the diffraction gratings. For this reason, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1B, a mountain-shaped extrusion (convex part 10) was incorporated to a V-shaped groove (concave part 6). It was easy to damage a top of the convex part 10 when incorporating the convex part 10, which was made to have a 5-micrometer flat section at its top.

[0034] Next, a process of molding the optical members with using the above-described molding dies will be described. First, a photo-curing resin was dropped at the center of a face that the grid pattern of the molding die 12 shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B was engraved. At this time, a dispenser controlled an amount of the dropped resin. After the resin spread to a grid pattern region and the concave part in the peripheral portion of the molding die, this molding die was put into a vacuum chamber to perform degassing while reducing a pressure within the chamber to nearly 10 mmHg. It is confirmed that, in the case of grid geometry having a pitch of 40 μm and a grid height of nearly 10 μm, air bubbles are accumulated in fine geometry when the resin spreads on the molding die. If such air bubbles occur, the geometrical defect of the molded optical member arises. In this embodiment, owing to the above-described degassing, it was possible to produce the optical member without generating such a geometrical defect.

[0035] After above-mentioned degassing, a small amount of a resin that was the same as the above-described resin was dropped at the center of a glass substrate 7 used as a substrate of the optical member 2 shown in FIG. 1B. Then, after contacting the resin on the molding die to the resin drop first, the glass substrate was lowered slowly and the glass substrate 7 was fixed in a position where the resin layer 8 had the desired thickness. Then, after radiating ultraviolet rays from an ultraviolet lamp through the glass substrate 7 to temporarily harden the resin, the whole resin layer 8 was released from the molding die 12 by pulling up the circumference of the glass substrate. In order to increase adherence with the resin layer 8, a silane-coupling agent was previously applied to the surface of the glass substrate 7 with a spinner, and the glass substrate 7 was dried with an oven. Such a process was similarly performed with using the molding die 13, and the optical member 1 shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B was also formed. Thus, two kinds of optical members (diffraction lens molded articles) with concave or convex geometry in their periphery were produced.

[0036] Since two kinds of optical members produced contained moisture in each resin layer, they were fully dried by a drying process. Owing to this drying process, in the diffraction optical element produced by bonding these optical members, it was possible to suppress to a minimum a change of the refraction index in connection with a moisture content change due to up and down of temperature. The drying process was performed by keeping the optical members in a low-humidity oven. It is also possible to dry the optical members by storing the optical members in a vacuum chamber instead of the low-humidity oven. Moreover, such drying can be also performed after coating an antireflection film, etc. on a diffraction grating surface.

[0037] Next, the optical members formed as mentioned above are bonded as follows. FIG. 4 is a schematic sectional view showing a bonding apparatus used for bonding the optical members. First, one member 14 of the two kinds of optical members was set on a fixture 16 placed in a chamber 15 while setting upward the side where the diffraction grating was formed. Then, outside the concave or convex geometry of this optical member 14, a thixotropic photo-curing adhesive agent with a small fluidity was dropped at several places in the circumferential direction.

[0038] Next, the other member 17 of the optical members was held with a gap from the optical member 14 by a support arm 18 so that the center of the member 17 became just above the center of the optical member 14. At this time, the side in which the diffraction grating of the optical member 17 was provided was made to become downward.

[0039] Subsequently, after performing evacuation from a vacuum piping 19 to make the inside of the chamber 15 into a vacuum, a nitrogen gas was supplied from the nitrogen piping 20 to make the inside of the chamber 15 into atmospheric pressure. In this state, the support arm 18 was lowered to access the optical member 17 above the optical member 14. At this time, since interference fringes were observed in an area in which the diffraction grating was formed, the coarse control of the relative position between optical members was performed while referring to these interference fringes with naked eyes. Then, these optical members were stacked so that the circles of the concave and convex geometries formed in respective optical members lapped. After that, ultraviolet rays were radiated from the ultraviolet lamp 22 to the stacked optical members through the quartz glass plate 21 inserted in a window provided in the chamber 15 passed to temporarily fix these optical members by hardening the thixotropic adhesive described above.

[0040] Next, an epoxy-based thermosetting adhesive was poured in a gap around the two optical members which were temporarily fixed, and the sealing member 11 shown in FIG. 1B was formed by hardening this adhesive to hermetically seal a space between diffraction gratings. As the adhesive that forms a sealing member, instead of the above-described thermosetting adhesive, a two-liquid thermosetting adhesive can be used.

[0041] It is desirable that, as the above-mentioned thixotropic adhesive and the adhesive forming the above-mentioned sealing member, an adhesive with minute hardening shrinkage is used so as to avoid deformation of the diffraction optical elements as much as possible. However, even if such an adhesive is used, local distortion may arise due to unbalance of hardening shrinkage in the temporarily fixed portion and other portions. This embodiment prevents the above-described face distortion by using an adhesive having comparatively flexibility as the adhesive used for temporarily fixing the optical members.

[0042] [Embodiment 2]

[0043] A stacked type diffraction optical element was produced in the same manner as in Embodiment 1 except temporarily fixing optical members by using an epoxy-based ultraviolet-ray curing adhesive that is a curable type by cationic polymerization instead of the thixotropic system photo-curing adhesive used in Embodiment 1. Since the epoxy ultraviolet-ray curing adhesive which is a curable type by cationic polymerization had comparatively low moisture permeability, the epoxy ultraviolet-ray curing adhesive is applied to all the perimeter of the optical members in a vacuum chamber to be able to seal the optical element.

[0044] [Embodiment 3]

[0045] As for this embodiment, a space between diffraction gratings is sealed with an element holder in one piece. FIG. 5 is a schematic sectional view showing a diffraction optical element of Embodiment 2 according to the present invention. In FIG. 5, numeral 23 denotes the cylindrical element holder consisting of a lens barrel of a camera. A step 23 a is provided in the inside of the element holder 23, and as one of two optical members, the optical member 24 was inserted in this step 23 a. Next, the other optical member 25 was stacked. At this time, assembling was performed so that the diffraction grating formed in each optical member became inside, and so that a space is formed between these diffraction gratings. Moreover, a gap is provided, as shown in FIG. 1B, between the stacked optical members near the periphery thereof.

[0046] Next, a sealing member 28 was poured over all the perimeter between the element holder 23 and the peripheral edges of the optical member that were stacked. This sealing member 28 also poured into the gap between the above-described optical members to hermetically seal the space between the diffraction gratings with the element holder in one piece. Then, a ring 25 having the screw thread formed in the peripheral side was screwed with a screw thread 27 provided in the inside of the element holder 23. Furthermore, the optical element was fixed by sandwiching the element between the ring 25 and the step 23 a.

[0047] In addition, as the sealing member 28, if moisture permeability is pursued, comparatively hard material is suitable. However, it is required to take measures so that neither peeling nor deformation may arise, by selecting material in consideration of the thermal expansion of the material quality of the holder or the like.

[0048]FIG. 6 is a schematic sectional view showing an example of an optical system using a diffraction optical element according to the present invention. In this example, a diffraction optical element is applied to a zoom lens used for a camera.

[0049] In the zoom lens shown in FIG. 6, a first lens group L1 having a negative refractive power, and a second lens group L2 having a positive refractive power are arranged in this order from a subject side. Symbols FS, SP, and IP are a flare shade, a stop, and an image plane, respectively. Focusing from an infinite object to a short-distance object is performed by moving the first lens group L1 and the second lens group L2 as one body to the subject side. The first lens group L1 consists of meniscus-like negative lenses C1 having a convex face directed to the subject side. On the other hand, the second lens group L2 consists of a positive lens G2 having convex faces at both sides of lens surfaces, a negative lens G3 having concave faces at both sides of lens surfaces, and two positive lenses G4 and G5. Here, in the subject side of the negative lens G3, a diffraction optical element 30 as shown in FIG. 6 is used.

[0050]FIG. 7 is a schematic sectional view showing an example of an optical apparatus. In this example, an optical system equipped with a diffraction optical element of the present invention is applied to a single-lens reflex camera that is one of image-pickup apparatuses.

[0051] In a camera shown in FIG. 7, a main mirror 32 and a film plane 33 are arranged behind an image-pickup lens 31. Then, a focusing board 34 and a pentaprism 35 are arranged in the direction of reflection by the main mirror 32. An ocular 36 is arranged in the direction of reflection by the pentaprism 35. Here, a lens as shown in FIG. 6 is used as an image-pickup lens 31.

[0052]FIG. 8 is a schematic sectional view showing another example of an optical apparatus. In this example, an optical system equipped with a diffraction optical element of the present invention is applied to a binocular that is one of observation apparatuses.

[0053] In the binocular shown in FIG. 8, a pair of lenses 38 and 39 is attached in a body 37. As each of these lenses 38 and 39, for example, a lens as shown in FIG. 6 is used. That is, in the binocular of this embodiment, the diffraction optical element described above is used for a part of lenses.

[0054] The present invention can be applied to not only a single-lens reflex camera described above, but also other image-pickup apparatuses such as a video camera. Moreover, the present invention can be applied to not only a binocular described above, but also other observation apparatuses such as a microscope.

[0055] Thus, according to the present invention, it is possible to obtain a diffraction optical element which can respond to changes of surrounding environment, and whose performance degradation is little even if used for a long time. The present invention can be also variously modified besides the embodiments described above. The present invention includes all of such modifications unless they depart from the claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A diffraction optical element comprising: a first optical member having a first diffraction grating; a second optical member having a second diffraction grating, wherein the first and second optical members are stacked so that the first and second diffraction gratings faces to each other inside the stacked members and so that a space is formed between the diffraction gratings; and a sealing member for hermetically sealing the space between the diffraction gratings.
 2. The diffraction optical element according to claim 1, wherein dry air or an inert gas is enclosed in the space between the diffraction gratings.
 3. The diffraction optical element according to claim 1, wherein each of the first and second optical members consists of a glass substrate and a resin layer formed on the glass substrate, and wherein the each of diffraction gratings is formed in a surface of each resin layer.
 4. The diffraction optical element according to claim 1, wherein at least either of the first and second optical members consists of a lens having a refractive power.
 5. The diffraction optical element according to claim 1, wherein a convex part for performing relative positioning with the second optical member is formed in an outer peripheral portion of the first optical member, and a concave part for fitting with the convex part of the first optical member is formed in an outer peripheral portion of the second optical member.
 6. The diffraction optical element according to claim 5, wherein a gap is provided at an outside of the convex part and the concave part which mutually fit between the first and second optical members, and wherein the gap is filled up with a sealing member.
 7. The diffraction optical element according to claim 1, wherein the first and second optical members are made of materials whose dispersion mutually differs.
 8. An optical system comprising a plurality of optical elements including a diffraction optical element according to claim
 1. 9. An optical apparatus forming an image by using an optical system according to claim
 8. 10. The optical apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the optical apparatus is an image-pickup apparatus.
 11. The optical apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the optical apparatus is an observation apparatus.
 12. A method of producing a diffraction optical element, comprising the steps of: staking a first optical member having a first diffraction grating and a second optical member having a second diffraction grating so that the first and second diffraction gratings faces to each other inside the stacked members and so that a gap is formed between the diffraction gratings; and hermetically sealing a space between the diffraction gratings with a sealing member.
 13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the step of stacking the first and second optical members is executed under an atmosphere of a dry air or an inert gas. 